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"People don’t drown in elevators," I said aloud

The water had reachedcold It also se I pulled my coet any kind of Internet signal At least with the glowing screen open, it wasn’t co, which was covered in wood paneling and tiny recessed lights, all out Wasn’t there supposed to be an escape hatch? Maybe it was concealed I couldn’t think of any way to get up there and search for it

I waded to the side of the door and tried the phone panel again, as well as all the buttons, and nothing happened Taking off one ofon the walls and shout for help for a few ed up toand the bones inin, everything was quiet It was calm everywhere except insideto die in this metal box

I’d heard it wasn’t supposed to be a bad way to die, drowning There orse ways to go But it was so unfair -- I had never done anything within an obituary I hadn’t accoe I’d never made peace with my father, not in a real sense I’d never helped people ere less fortunate I’d never even had decent sex

I was certain that people facing death should be occupied with noble thoughts, but instead I foundabout those h with it, at least I would have had good sex for once in my life But I’d blown even that I wanted hi was finished innot with resignation but e ofthe coed and floated to the elevator floor in water so polluted you could barely see the glowing screen before it shorted out and went dark It was disorienting, the cold blackness all around ainst the wall and breathed, and waited I wondered what it would feel like when there was no s

The sound of a sharp bang on 1the ceiling caused a start that went through me like a bullet I turnedScraping, sliding noises, tools againstcreaked, and the entire elevator rocked as if it were a rowboat

"Is so

I heard the muffled, distant sound of a human voice

Galvanized, I pounded the elevator ith my fist "Help! I’m trapped down here!"

There was a reply I couldn’t hear Whoever it was kept working on the top of the elevator, wrenching and prying until a raw shriek ofwas ripped back I flattened , debris splashing And then the bea off the water

"I’ forward "I’et me out?"

A man leaned into the elevator cab until I could see his face and shoulders illuht

"You should probably know up front," Hardy said, widening the opening with a grunt of effort, "I charge a lot for elevator rescues"

CHAPTER TWELVE

"Hardy! Hardy -- " He had come for ratitude, there were at least a dozen things I wanted to tell hi that came out was a fervent, "I’m so sorry I didn’t have sex with you"I heard his low laugh "I auys with "

"I don’t care," I said desperately "Get me out of here and I swear I’ll sleep with you"

I heard one of the uys volunteer in a Spanish accent, "I’ll pull her out"

"This one’s o," Hardy said affably, and he leaned farther into the elevator cab, one long ar on ers moved doard to close around my wrist But I was coated with slippery stuff, and ainst the wall "I can’t" I tried to sound calm, but my voice was shredded I had to stifle a sob "The water’s oily"

"Okay," he said quickly "That’s okay No, don’t cry, honey, I’ down Stay on the side and hold on to the rail"

"Wait, you’ll get stuck down here too -- " I began, but Hardy was already lowering his feet and legs He gripped part of the ceiling fra for a moment As he came into the cab with a controlled drop, the floor shifted and the level of water ca on hi halfway up his body before he could evenbeneathand solid around irl"

"Not brave" My arrip around his neck I buriedto comprehend that he was really there with me

"Yes you are Most wo up to that," I said into his shirt collar "You just c-caught ripped ht now"

I tried to set"I can’t believe you’re here"

"’Course I’m here Anyti, where one of the ht to help us see "Manuel," he said, "you guys got a suretful reply "It’s an old building Only the new ones got pu back "Probably wouldn’t make a difference anyway Can someone shut off theto starther out"

"Don’t need to, it’s off"

"How do you know?"

"There’s an automatic shunt trip"

Hardy shook his head "I want soo to the machine rooot it, jefe" Manuel used a tay radio to get in touch with the supervisor running the security office The supervisor said he would send their only available guard to the machine room to shut off the mainline switch for all the elevators, and call back when it was done "He says he can’t get the cops," Manuel reported to us "Nine-one-one is broke Too uy"

"The water’s getting higher," I told Hardy, s claet out now"